Honda Civic (USA) review

The base Honda Civic LX sedan costs an entirely reasonable $24,845, which includes a mandatory $1,095 delivery fee. (If you prefer the Civic hatch, add $1,000 to that price.) The LX isn’t some kind of bare-bones stripper model, either, with standard amenities like Honda's full suite of driver-assistance tech, automatic LED headlights, automatic climate control, pushbutton start, and a 7-inch infotainment screen with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

From there, the Civic Sport adds a bit of visual panache with larger 18-inch wheels and unique interior accents, for $26,445. Stepping up to the EX sedan or EX-L hatchback moves you back down to 17-inch wheels, but upgrades you to the 1.5-liter turbo engine, and for not a ton more money, starting at $27,295 (sedan) or $28,995 (hatch).

Finally, the Touring sedan and Sport Touring hatch make up the tippy-top of the range, and come with everything you could ever want in a Civic. Pricing for the Touring sedan starts at $31,445 while the Sport Touring hatch – available with manual or automatic transmissions – will run you $32,345.

The punchy Civic Si sedan stands alone as its own model, and costs $29,895 including destination. And no, you can’t buy a Civic Si hatchback. Well, not with a Honda badge anyway. The same basic powertrain is available under the hood of the more upscale five-door Acura Integra.

Okay, but which one should I actually buy?

If you want the best-driving Civic, it’s the Si, without question. If you want the best-driving Civic that’s also loaded with features, the Sport Touring hatch is your jam. But if it’s the best overall value you’re after, with the greatest frugality, functionality, and amenities, then you can’t go wrong with the middle-of-the-road Civic EX-L hatchback.